Signal device.



G. L. BARRETT.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY29, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

STAES GEORGE L. BARRETT, 0F SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 19M...

T 0 all 107mm s't may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. BARRETT, a citizen of .the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to signal devices and the object of the invention is to provide means for preventing more than a single operation of a signaling device.

The invention is designed more particularly for use in connection with electric signals, the circuits of which are closed upon cacn recurrence of some event, such, for example, as the passage of a car.

In the use of signaling devices to note the approach of a car or for similar purposes, as set forth in my co-pending application No. 710,760 filed July 22, 1912, it is desirable that the signal should operate to note the approach of a car and then should re main inoperative. To this end it is a fur ther object of the invention to provide in the circuit of an electric signal a supplemental cut-out which will be actuated by the operation of the signal to break the circuit, thus rendering the signal inoperative regardless of the closing of the main switch until the supplemental cut-out has again been closed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device which will be very simple and inexpensive in its construction and which can be readily attached to the ordinary electric bell without material modification thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a signal circuit showing in elevation a signal embodying my invention and a main circuit breaker and closer; Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of an electric bell showing my invention applied thereto.

The arrangement of the circuit and the construction of the main circuit breaker and closer may be of any suitablecharacter. That here shown corresponds substantially to that shown and described in the abovementioned application. The signal, which, in the present instance, is in the form of a bell, is shown at 1 and is connected by the wires 2 and 3 of the circuit with a circuit breaker and closer i and the trolley wire 5,

respectively. This circuit breaker and closer has a contact member (3 connected with the wire 2 of the circuit and adapted to be engaged by the trolley wheel 7 of a passing car while the trolley wheel is in engagement with the trolley wire 5, thus causing the current from the wire to pass through the wheel to the contact plate 6 and the signal circuit. Obviously, this circuit will be closed each time a car passes the circuit breaker and closer.

To prevent the operation of the signal or bell upon the passage of each car I provide the circuit 23 with a supplemental cutout which will be actuated upon the first operation of the signal to break the circuit. As shown in the present instance this cutout is mounted on the frame of the bell and comprises a movable contact member or leper 8 which is pivotally mounted upon a binding post 9 to which is connected one side of the signal circuit. This contact member is adapted to be moved into and out of contact with a pin or binding post 10 insulated from the binding post 9 and connected with one side of the eleetro-magnet which operates the bell. The other side of this electro-magnet is connected with the other binding post 11, which, in turn, is connected with the conductor 3 of the signal circuit. So long as the contact lever S is in engagement with the contact pin 10 the circuit will be closed from the binding post 10 to the coils, but when the contact lever is moved out of engagement with the contact pin this circuit will be broken. Pivotally mounted adjacent to the contact pin 10 and preferably upon a portion of the frame of the bell is a tripping lever 12 having at its lower end a projection or toe 13 adapted to engage the end of the contact lever 8 and move the same out of engagement with the contact pin 10 when the trip lever 12 moves into its lowermost position. The position of the axis about which the tripping lever 12 moves is such that when the lever has been moved to the limit of its movement in one direction its upper end will have been moved across its center of gravity and will rest against the arm of the hammer 1d of the bell 1. The vibration of this hammer upon the first operation of the bell will throw the trip lever 12 across its center of gravity and it will swing downward of its own weight, thus causing the toe 13 to engage the contact lever 8 and inter rupt the circuit through the bell coils. So long as the trip lever 12 remains in its lowermost position the contact will be broken and the bell will be inoperative. Before the hell can again be operated the lever 12 must be returned to its uppermost position and the signal thus set for another operation. Preferably, the upward movement of the contact lever 8 is limited by a stop or pin 15 mounted in the frame of the bell.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be noted that I have produced a very simple and yet a positive de vice for interrupting the operation of a signal and preventing its further operation, regardless of the closing of the main circuit breaker and closer, until it has been again set for operation.

\Vhile I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention including a specific arrangement of contact members it will be understood that this is chosen for the purpose of illustration only and that the construction and arrangement of the parts may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric bell, a base, a gong, and an electro-magnet mounted on said base, a bell hammer actuated by said magnet, a circuit breaker and closer mounted on said Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

base adjacent to said magnet and having a movable contact member, a lever pivotally supported by said base and having a projecting portion, the axis of said lever being so arranged relatively to said hammer that when idle said hammer, will support said lever in an approximately upright position but when actuated Will-displace said lever and will permit the same to move by gravity about its axis and cause the projecting portion thereof to engage and displace said contact member.

2. In an electric bell, a gong, an electromagnet mounted beneath said gong, a bell hammer arranged to be actuated by said magnet, a circuit breaker and closer mounted beneath said magnet and having a movable contact member, a lever pivotally supported near said circuit breaker and closer and having a projecting portion, the axis of said lever being so arranged relatively to said hammer that when idle said hammer will support said lever in an approximately upright position but when actuated will displace said lever and permit the same to move by gravity about its axis and cause the projecting portion thereof to engage and displace said movable contact member.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE L. BARRETT.

Witnesses F. W. SOHAEFER, HARRIET L. HAMMAKER.

Washington, D. 0. 

